Blue sky mine gets Garrett nod

Canberra Times
Wednesday 15/7/2009 Page: 1

Australia is to get a new uranium mine - courtesy of former antinuclear campaigner Peter Garrett. The federal environment minister has approved the country's fourth uranium mine, to be built in South Australia's northeast. Mr Garrett sang against the nuclear industry in his days as Midnight Oil frontman. Now he's sure the new Four Mile mine "poses no credible risk to the environment".

Opposition environment spokesman Greg Hunt, who supports uranium mining, attacked Mr Garrett for his backflip on the issue. "The promises Peter Garrett chose to snake on uranium mining stand for nothing - and nor does he, any longer," Mr Hunt said. Mr Garrett said it had been a difficult decision to approve the mine but it was right for him to abide by Labor's policy, which allows for an expansion of uranium mining. "The values that I had before entering parliament I hold dear," Mr Garrett said. "[But] the Government has made a decision.., on this matter, which I fully accept."

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said the Labor Party had publicly changed its policy on uranium mining back in 2007, when the "no-new- mines" policy was dropped. "It couldn't be more transparent than that," Mr Rudd told ABC Radio. When asked why he didn't allow a domestic nuclear energy industry, Mr Rudd said renewable energy and cleaner-coal technology was the best way for Australia to tackle climate change.

A nuclear-free campaigner with the Australian Conservation Foundation, David Noonan, said that the new mine's chemical and radioactive waste would leach into the groundwater. "We find it entirely unacceptable for the environment to be treated in this way," Mr Noonan said. When asked about the role of Mr Garrett, a former president of the ACF, Mr Noonan said: "It's not a matter of individuals."

The Australian Uranium Association welcomed the mine and said it would help tackle climate change when production begins next year. Communications director of the association, Simon Clarke said, "Uranium is a product which helps the country generate lowcarbon electricity, through nuclear energy '. The approval of the mine showed Australia had world's-best- practice standards for uranium mining, he said.

Australia's exports of uranium oxide are worth $900 million a year. The new mine, which will be close to the Beverley uranium mine, is a joint venture of Alliance Resources and Quasar Resources. South Australia's Minister for Mineral Resources Development Paul Holloway said the mine would create 130 jobs during construction. "This decision will allow this region of the state to continue to supply uranium for several decades to come." he said.